Automatic locking device for loose leaf binders



Nov. 17, 1931. M. w. FEDERBUSH ET AL 1,832,195

AUTOMATIC LOCKING DEVICE FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDERS Fil ed Dec. 5. 1950 each cover, which may be in the nature of flattened longitudinally split sheet metal tubes and coextensive in size and similar in shape with each other. In the tube 16 are secured a plurality of anchor elements such as nuts 17 with which are engaged the posts 18. The latter extend perpendicularly and may be of sectional construction so that said posts may be lengthened whereby the binder may receive any desired amount of stock. Formed in the walls of the tube 15 are a plurality of alined holes 19, 20 in the walls 15a and 15b for receiving the posts, and disposed in the same tube is an automatic device for.

releasable looking engagement with the said posts. Obviously the tubes 15 and 16 may be neatlyfinished or covered as may be desired.

As thus arranged, the locking device may be released so that the back portions 15, 16, and

hence the covers 11 may be separated, and the loose leaf sheet filler inserted upon the posts.

Then the back portion 15 and its cover are placed so that the posts 18 are passed through theholes 19, 20 and locked by the automatic device. When a sheet of paper is to be re-' moved, it suflices to release the locking device and loosen the binder, whereby the sheet may be withdrawn by virtue of the slotted holes therein provided, and which being conventional, have not been shown. The loose leaf binder above described is a standard construction, and is submitted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense, and the au tomatic locking device which constitutes our invention will now be described. I I

Coacting with-each'post 18 is a movable or pivoted locking jaw 21 which is adapted tofrictionally grip the post. The said jaw may assume various shapes and construe tions, and yet move between post gripping and releasing positions. While said aw may move in diflerent ways for this purpose, the pivoted arrangement hasthe advantageof simplicity, besides being easily actuable.

Thus the jaw may assume the form of an angle member, being provided with a portion 22. The latter may have a plurality of spaced points 23 extending pivotally into corre sponding holdes 24 in the wall 15a of the member 15. Said holes 24 may be sufficiently large to constitute guide openings permittinga certain degree of movement of the points 23 therein, so that the member 22 may slightly slide on the wall'15a as the pivotal movement of thejaw occurs in part on a spring hereinafter described. The portion of the member 22 intermediate of the said points may have pivotal abutment relation at 25 with the Wall 15a of the member 15 as shown in Fig. 4. The 'aw 21mayengage a post 18, for example, y receiving the latter in a hole 26 which is substantially alined with the 'holes19, 20. This hole mayhave sufiicient clearance with the post to permit the jaw to swing into the engaging position. To

bodied in a spring such as 27.

The spring 27 may consist of a single piece of wire including a pair .of spaced coil portions'28 interconnected by a U including the longitudinal portions29 and a transverse portion 30 joining the same together. Also extending from the coilsare the spring portions 31, which pass through undercuts 31a in the member22, andwhich are offset at 32 to engage in holes 33 of the jaw, with the free ends 34 bearing upon the jaw.- Since the U portion of the spring bears uponwall -15b of the casing 15 the jaw is not only swung toward the opposite wall 15a, but the pivot sliding and pivotal engagement in the holes 24. When thus actuatedby the spring, the

jaw frictionally grips or bites into the post 18 at'diametri'cally opposite portions of the hole 26 as at 35 and in swinging, the aw may pivot mainly on thecoils 28. I r

To release the jaws 21 from looking position, means such as 36 may be provided. The' through the member 15 and is movable transversely thereof to swing the jaws against the springs, whereby the j aws are released from the posts. v v

In order'to exert a lateral force on the jaws in the direction of swinging into released position, theactuat-ing bar may have suitable means for that such as a step 39 at each end thereof, and the adjacent portion of the jaw being beveled at 40 to slidingly and pivotally seat on the upper edge 41 of the step while the lower surface 42 of the step affords a' support for the jaw, particularly in the locking position thereof. Now in the lastmentioned position of the jaw, the beveled portion partially overlies the upper edge 41 of the step, so'that when the bar 38 is moved to release the jaw, the action on thebeveled portion is such as to exert a force longitudinal to the jaw to supplement the swinging action of the jaw and tocause a resultant force whichbrings about an instant, easy, and positive release of the post. The jaw will now reliably seat on the lower'part'42'of the step, and when thebar 38 is released, the spring actson the-jaw to'swing the'same and consequently' to return the bar 38 to normal position. The bevel may be suflicientlyv large,

especiallywhen accompanied by the swing- .points 23 are thereby retained'in floating or sition on the edge 41 of the step when thejaws are returned to locking position.

By making the bar 38 out of a pair of strips of metal, the stepped structure may beeasily constructed. v

A simple and yet reliable mounting for the bar 381nay be obtained by rigidlysecuring the same to the shank 43 of the finger piece 37 Said shank is slidable in-a hole 44 in the wall 156, and with the finger piece head forming asuitable mounting for said bar, which is moreover retained by the tubular member 15. As the bar 38 acts in opposite directions upon the locking jaws, the reaction on said bar is such as to produce an equal resistance of the springs 27. When the leaf device is locked, the finger piece is in a position closely adjacent to the wall 15?), but

when the device is to be opened, a pull is exerted on the finger piece to actuate the bar 38, release the locking jaws and at the same time to open the binder to the desired degree.

It will be obvious that the principles of this invention may be embodied in looking devices for many different purposes other than for loose leaf binders as the invention may be In testimony whereof we afiix our signaw tures.

MAX W. FEDERBUSH. JAY D. FEDERBUSH- broadly considered as including any type of I bolt and the improved actuating and engaging means therefor, while the post is representative of an engaging part.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made in the device as shown in the drawings, and that the same is submitted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the following claims.

WVe claim:

1. A loose leaf binder having a post, a jaw swingably mounted on one side of the post for engaglng the post, and actuating means for the jaw on the opposite side of the post, said actuating means having one end portion for swinging the jaw, and another end portion to retain the jaw in swung position independently of the first portion.

2. In a loose leaf binder having a post and a casing, the combination of a jaw swingably mounted on a wall of the casing, and resilient means pressing the jaw into engagement with said wall and tending to swing the jaw into transverse engagement with the post, and actuating means to release the jaw movable in the direction of said post, said jaw including a beveled portion engageable by the actuating means for swinging the same.

3. A loose leaf binder having a pair of spaced posts, jaws swingably mounted and means for moving apart said portions of the jaws coincident with the swinging action.

4. In a lose leaf binder having a post, the

combination of a jaw pivotally movable with 

